In many applications wherein square waves are utilized for signaling or operating subsequent equipment, it is imperative that the square waves have the correct duty cycle, or on to off time. If the square waves are transmitted or passed through filters for any reason, they are generally badly distorted because many of the upper harmonics are removed or attenuated and delayed by the transmission or filtering. Generally, the removal or attenuation and delay of the upper harmonics will round the square waves and cause the leading and lagging edges thereof to have a much greater slope. Further, during transmissions the amplitude of the square wave may vary due to changes in conditions, fading, etc., whereby subsequent equipment utilizing the square waves will not be able to determine the correct duty cycle of the square waves.
Peak detectors and the like, which are utilized in the prior art, are unsatisfactory because variations in both the amplitude and the slope of the sides causes the peak detector to provide erroneous outputs. With the amplitude of the pulses and the leading and lagging edges being distorted most prior art equipment cannot duplicate the duty cycle of the original square waves without a large and complicated amount of special equipment.